# George Rico STK American Puro Review



## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

George Rico S.T.K. American Puro
Size: Robusto 4.7" x 52
Price: $8.50
Rest Time: 6 weeks
Burn Time: 1.5 Hours



Prelight: The stick has a very squishy full pack. The aroma is that of a smokey cedar & hickory, but the smoke aroma is not overpowering and appears to have diminished since I bought the sticks . I twisted the small pig tail off with no problems, but felt the draw was a bit snug so I topped the stick with my Xikar Xi cutter.

1st 3rd:
On first draw the cigar has very mellow smokey cedar & hickory flavors with a mild damp tobacco finish. The stick is not putting out a lot of smoke on the draw or off the foot. The draw remains snug and takes a good bit of force to extract any smoke most of which is very thin. Resting in the ashtray it appears that the cigar is not lit, but it is.



2nd 3rd:
The ash holds on well past the first band. Still very mild wood flavors with the introduction of some toast and a very faint vanilla spice. The smoke output has picked up a bit and the draw has gotten a little easier. The finish is very short continuing with just a mild woody tobacco aftertaste. The flavors are mild with no hint of strength.



Final 3rd:
The smoke is now pouring off the foot and on the draw. The same flavors remain with a little more pronounced hickory and some white pepper on the finish. The body is now a medium with a tiny bit of strength creeping in at the end.



Summary:
The STK had a razor sharp burn that required no attention or relights with the ash holding on for almost the entire length of the cigar. The smokey aroma the stick had when I received it made me very anxious to smoke it right away, but I was surprised at how mellow the wood flavors were. While the STK started out slow, especially from the smoke output standpoint it really opened up deep into the 2nd third. This is the third fire cured stick I've tried and would rate it ahead of the KFC MUWAT, but behind the Leccia black. I have yet to try the Spectre from AJ Fernandez, but have two resting now and will make it my next review.


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## LVS (Jul 12, 2007)

Thanks for the review. The flavors you describe are right on. I am really enjoying the corona gorda size right now.


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

LVS said:


> Thanks for the review. The flavors you describe are right on. I am really enjoying the corona gorda size right now.


Thanks man! If you like the STK you will love the Spectre, that is my favorite of the fire cured sticks and it can be had on CBID for a $3-$4 each.


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## penna stogey (Apr 23, 2014)

Good write up, have to try this smoke soon, Thanks..P-S


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